Rapid type printer



June 16, 1925.

- F. A. DOLF'H 'R'A'PID TYPE PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1924 June 16, 1925. 1,542,222

. F.'A. DOLPH RAPID TYPE PRINTER Filed March 4, 1924 4Sheecs-Sheet 2 I I I L I I I I Z I I i I I I 2' I I I 18 Z 5 5 5 5 x I I I 3 E E E 15 5 53 E i P I I I G Z 1' I I i 7 h I I I z I I I I I 52 H 514mm nloz F L 5 5 i .55

: I BY A.

June 16, 1925.

F. A. DOLPH RAPID TYPE PRINTER Filed March 4, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 $5 M W'Wf/M June 16, 1925.

'F. A. DOLPH RAPID TYPE PRINTER 4 sheet-sheet Filed March 4, 1924 (IIIHIIIU Stratum;

Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRED A. DOLPH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CQLUMIBIA.

RAPID TYPE PRINTER.

Applieation'filed March 4, 1924. Serial No. 696,890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. Down, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rapid Type Printers, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification. 4

This invention relates to a typewriting machine of the class disclosed in my Patent No. 1,232,246, dated July 3, 1917.

The ordinary typewriter in use today is so constructed that each key must be separately depressed a distance of approximately three-quarters of an inch in order to print the desired characters, and a spacebar must be actuated each time it is desired to leave a space between said characters. These machines require fifty-five strokes to type, for example, the following line:

This line is printed in silence with but ten strokes. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a typewriting machine, or a rapid type printer, with improved keys that may be simultaneously depressed in word-or other suitable combinations, and one wherein it is unnecessary to strike or move a space-bar in order to secure the proper spacing. By

the use of my rapid type printer the above quoted line may be set in ten strokes, instead of fifty-five, and the entire line typed or printed by one simple operation. Of course the keys may be singly actuated if desired, and even then there is a saving of nine strokes in typing the above line, since no space-bar need be actuated. One of the objects of this invention is, therefore, to secure speed of operation, thereby greatly increasingthe field of usefulness of the machine.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a rapid type printer with keys that are noiseless in operation and which are only moved one-fourth of an inch; to provide a rapid type printer with im roved means for positively moving a plura ity of type bars into engagement with the depressed keys in order that the desired type or characters may be moved into, and held in alignment, for printing; to provide a rapid type printer so constructed that an entire line may be printed as a unit instead of letter by letter; to provide a rapid type printer with improved means for raising or returning any depressed key or keys to capital letter position, or to normal raised position; to provide a rapid type printer with lmproved means for actuating the platen whereby the same may be moved positively to printing position, thereby insuring proper alignment andclear printing, and to provide a platen mechanism that is so constructed and actuated that the last printed line will be visible to the operator. These and other objects will appear more fully hereafter in the detailed description.

Stated generally, the present invention comprises a plurality of movably mounted type bars in combination with operating means for moving said bars into engagement with depressed noiseless letter keys, said keys being adapted to be depressed in suitable combinations, or singly, as desired. \Vhen said bars have been moved into engagement with the depressed keys, it will be found that type characters corresponding to the lettering ofthe depressed keys, which characters are formed on the upper surface of said bars, have beeen moved into alignment adjacent a platen carrying the paper on which the characters are to be imprinted. Further actuation of the operating mechanism moves inking rollers over the aligned characters; and forces the platen down into engagement with the line of type, making the impression. If the printing operation is performed manually, instead of by power means, mechanism is provided whereby no further effort is required on the part of the operator to return the parts to their normal positions.

This invention is capable of receiving a variet of mechanical expressions, only one of which has been shown on the accompany ing drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of my rapid type printer illustrating the parts in normal position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the righthand half of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective illustrating a portion of the type carriage and my improved means for insuring positive movement of the type bars;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a portion of one of the type bars;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, somewhat enlarged,.illustrating my improved keyboard mechanism;

Figs. 6 and 7 are side and end views respectlvely, partly in section, illustrating details of the key release and shift mechanisms;

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of elements of the platen mechanism;

Fig. 10 is an end view illustrating a portion of the letter keys and the selector arms for the type bars;

Figs. 11 and 12 are a top plan and a side elevation respectively, of one form of platen standard that may be employed;

Figs..13 and 14 are detail plan views of resilient means that may be employed for yieldingly securing the type bars to the type carriage, and

Figs. 15 and 16 are detail views lllustrating one form of leaf-springs that may be employed in the embodiment of the invention illustrated.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the elements of the machine are preferably supported on a triangular-shaped frame having a base 1, a rear upright portion 2, and an inclined front portion on .which is mounted a bedplate 3. Slidably carried on the upper surface of plate 3 is a type carriage 4 which is preferably formed as a flat tray having upturned sides 5 and a pair of transverse members or bars 6 and 7 at thelower end thereof. Resting side by side on the upper surface of carriage 4 are a plurality of type bars 8, each bar having formed on the upper surface thereof the letters of the entire alphabet, punctuation marks, numerals, etc. Preferably both capital and small letters are alternately formed on said type bars as is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. Any desired number of these bars may be provided but I have found that fifty-five will meet all ordinary requirements. Secured to the lower end of each type bar, or formed integrally therewith, are selector arms 9 which extend upwardly, at right angles to the bars, and outwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 10. Normally the lower edgesof arms 9 are in engageirient with the members 6 and 7 of type carriage 4. The upper end of each selector arm is cut away on the lower corner as at 10.

To insure movement of the type bars with their carriage 4, there are preferably provided a plurality of sprin clips 11 positioned in slots, and brazed t erein if desired,

ataaaaa formed in the upper and lower transverse carriage bars 6 and 7, which clips are normally in gripping engagement with the lower ends of selectors 9 as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the clips in upper bar 6 being spaced at greater intervals than those in lower bar 7, due to the fanning out of selector arms 9.

Mounted above the lower end of bed-plate 3 is a keyboard frame comprising an upper end member 12, and side members 13, Con nected by perforated upper and lower keysupporting boards 14 and 15, and lower strengthening members 16. Extending transversely of the keyboard frame, and positioned at equal intervals between upper and lower key supports 14 and 15, are a plurality of leaf-springs 17, eachhaving engagement, preferably, with the upper face of a letter key 18. Each transverse row of said springs may be formed from a single strip of metal as is clearly indicated in Figs. 15 and 16, or said springs may be secured in any suitable manner, as by brazing, to solid strips of metal 19 as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Keys 18, which are preferably formed of thin metal strips one inches long and one-fourth of an inch wide, bent into a curve at the top and suitably lettered, are slidably positioned in registered perforations or slots formed in upper and lower supports 14 and 15, and are normally resiliently held in raised position by the leaf-springs as indicated in Fig. 5. A vertical row of keys is provided for each type bar but preferably only one letter key is provided for each letter of the alphabet, and one for each pair of additional characters formed on the type bars.

Means are provided for selectively controlling the distance keys 18 may be depressed and for returning the depressed keys to capital letter or normal raised position. In the embodiment illustrated (see Figs. 5, 6 and 7) this means comprises a universal shift and release shaft 20, provided with a projecting key 21, and rotatably supported at its opposite ends in the keyboard side frame members 13. Mounted on shaft 20 are a plurality of column-release keys 22 provided with laterally projecting hub portions 23 for insuring proper spacing, and interiorally provided with an arcuate slot 24. Hub portions 23 are enlarged on their upper faces to provide an extension 25 for receiving the pivotal connections 26 for the column-release and shift bars 27 which extend throughout the length of each vertical row of letter keys, and below the latter. Shift bars 27 are provided at their opposite ends with arms 27 extending upwardly at right angles to the main portion of the bar. The forwardarms of shift bars 27 arepivoted as at 28 to the lower arm of a bell crank lever 29 pivoted to the keyboard and three-fourths aeeaaaa frame by a transversely-extending rod 30. The upper arms of lever 29 are pivoted as at 31 to the upper end of links 32, the lower end of said links being pivoted as at 33 to the upper portion of release keys 22. Loosely mounted on a transverse rod 34, mounted in the keyboard frame, are a plurality of capital letter shift keys 35, one of said keys being provided for eac vertical column of letter keys. Keys 35 engage pins 36, or other suitable means, projecting from links 32, and are limited in their movement by engagement with the ends of slots 37 formed in upper key support 14, through which.

said shift keys project.

Rigidly secured to the right-hand end of shaft 20, or onboth ends if desired, is a universal hand-release lever 38 for simultaneously actuating all of the release and shift bars 27. If desired a universal capital letter shift lever 39 may be secured to shaft 20 for actuating lever 38 through one-half of its throw, the movement of lever 39 being limited in any suitable manner, as by means of a pin 40 projecting from keyboard frame member 13.

If desired, automatic means may be provided for simultaneously actuating all of the release and shift bars 27 to return keys 18 to normal position. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, 41 is a lug, secured to the top of the outer end of upper carriage bar 6, that is adapted to engage the lower end of a latch 42 pivoted to the end of shaft 20. The upper end of latch 42 is provided with a pin 43 which rojects into the plane of releaselever 38. lovement of lug 41 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, rotates latch 42 to the dotted line position 42 while movement of lug 41 in the .opposite direction causes it to force latch 42 and lever 38 to the dotted line position 42", thus rotating shaft 20 and actuating bars 27.

Any suitable type of platen mechanism may be employed for carrying the typewriter paper which is forced into contact with the aligned characters to be typed. In the embodiment shown, Figs. 1, 2, 11 and 12, this mechanism comprises a pair of standards 44 mounted on bed-plate 3 between the keyboard and the upper end of the main frame. Standards 44 are provided with guide arms 45 and a curved groove 46. Extending into the later is a pin 47 carried on the end of a lever 48 which is rigidly secured to the end of a shaft 49. Extending downwardly from shaft 49 and laterally spaced from lever 48 is a platen arm 50 which carries on the lower end thereof a platen 51.. Secured to the outer ends of shaft 49 and guided by arms 45, is a slide block 52 which is pivotally connected to a link 53 secured to lever arm 54 that is rigidly attached to the inner end of a shaft 55 rotatably mounted in bearing members platen shaft 59 is a roller release lever 60 for forcing platen rollers 56 from engagement with the platen when it is desired to remove the paper therefrom.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated one type of ratchet and pawl mechanism that may be employed for rotating the platento secure proper spacing between the lines. Preferably a regulator comprising a threaded member 61, provided with a crank arm 62, is mounted adjacent the platen for engagement with an arm 63 of a lever 64 which carries on its opposite arm, pawls 65. The throw of said pawls may be adjusted by moving arm 63 by means of threaded member 61 to various positions, as desired, and thereby regulating spacing between the lines to be printed.

My rapid type printer may be actuated by power means of desired, but preferably the printing operation is manually performed. To this end there are provided on either side of the main frame, stub-shafts 66 on which are rotatably mounted sectors 67 carrying at the upper ends of their peripheries, an operating rod 68 extending transversely of the machine: The platen mechanism previously described is connected to rod 68 by means of a link 68, and a crank arm 68*, rigidly secured at its lower end to shaft 55. Secured to sectors 67 adjacent rod 68, are flexible bands 69 extending rearwardly over pulleys 70 that are rotatably mounted on stub-shafts 71 secured to the sides'of the main frame. The lower end of flexible band 69 is secured in any desired manner to the periphery of a pulley 72 mounted on stub-shaft 73. Secured on the inner end of shaft 73 is a wheel 74 having attached to the periphery thereof a flexible member 75 which extends upwardly over a pulley 76 pivotall mounted adjacent the top of the main rame. Attached to the free end of flexible member 75 isa weight 77 for a purpose to be explained hereafter. Secured to member 75 adjacent pulley 76, is a roller frame 78 which extends transversely of the machine and immediately below bedplate 3. Frame 78 is provided with upwardly extending arms 78 for carrying a plurality of inking rollers 79 that normally rest on the upper surface of an ink-plate 80 provided with an opening 81 adjacent the platen mechanism, in the center of which opening the type characters to be printed are aligned. As seen in Fig. 1, roller frame 78 is secured at its upper edge to downwardly projecting arms 4 of type carriage movement of rod 68 is transmitte link 68, crank arm 68*, and lever 5a to platen 4, which arms are adapted to move in slots 3 formed in bed-plate 3.

Operation: The parts being in their normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and'it is desired to print, for example, the line This line is printed in silence with but ten strokes the letter keys for the word This are simultaneously depressed in the four left-hand vertical columns of keys 18. The next, .or fifth, vertical column of keys is skipped, and the keys for the word line are depressed simultaneously, or singly, as desired, in the next adjacent vertical columns, etc. Capital letter shift key 35 for the left-hand vertical column is actuated at any desired time during the setting of the line, or it may be moved after the entire line has-been set, whereby key T, which has been depressed into engagement with the upper edge of its shift bar 27, will be moved outwardly a distance of approximately one eighth of an inch, where it will be resiliently held by spring 17. Movement of shift key 35 is transmitted by link 32 to the adjacent release key 22, rotating the latter and raising bar 27. Because of slot- 24, in key 22, shaft 20 is not moved and the other depressed keys are not moved. The line being set, the operator now forces operating rod 68 downwardly in the direction of the arrow, whereby downward movement is transmitted through cables or bands 69 and 75 to inking rollers 7 9 and type carriage 4. The engagement of spring clips 11 with selector arms 9 forces type bars 8 downwardly with the carriage until said selector arms engage the depressed keys, when further downward movement of bars 8 is revented, spring clips 11 being withdrawn rom engagement with the selector arms by continued downward movement with carriage 4. Since letter key T in the left-hand column is only depressed one-half the distance of the remaining keys, said key will not engage the lower edge of its respective type bar but will engage the notched portion 10, and the capital letter T on said type bar will be brought directly in the center of opening 81 in inking-table 80, and in alignment with other characters that correspond to the letter keysdepressed. It-

will be noted that when no letter key is depressed in one of the vertical columns of keys, the type bar for that column moves downwardly with carriage 4. until the blank portion at the upper end of the type bar is brought opposite opening 81, thus leaving the required space between words. 1

Immediately after the proper characters are brought into alignment, centrally of opening 81, inking rollers 79 pax over the type and continue downward onto the lowor portion of inking-table 80.

Simultaneously with the above )erations, through 51. Due to pin 47 and curved groove 46, the platen 1s swung downwardly in an armate path, and is then forced rectilineally downward into printing engagement with the aligned type characters to make the impression.

The operator now releases rod 68-whereupon weight 77 returns the parts to their normal positions. As the carriage moves upwardly, lugAl, carried on rod 6, engages latch 42, thereby forcing latch-pin 43 into engagement with universal release lever 38. Rotation of the latter actuates bars 27 and automatically raises all depressed letter keys to normal position.

My improved letter keys are so formed and resiliently held that they are noiseless in operation; no more effort is required to actuate rod 68 to print the line than is necessary to move the carriage of the ordinary machine; a relatively few number of parts are required; the line to be printed is spelled out before the operator and errors can be easily detected and corrected by actuating the individual column release keys; the last printed line, due to the arrangement of the platen mechanism, is'visible to the operator; there is no possibility of the type characters being out of alignment due to the positive movement of the type bars; the printing operation is positive with the result that a clean impression is secured; and all parts are readil accessible for cleaning, repair and replacement. If the operator accidentally depresses other letter keys in the vertical 001- 100 umns than the ones it is desired to depress, no error results in the printed line, since the uppermost keys depressed in each column determines the extent of downward move-' ment of the type bars, and consequently, the 105 type characters that are brought into alignment centrally of opening 81. Finally, the inefficient typewriter ribbon is dispensed with.

What I claim is: I

1. A machine of the class described, comprising a frame, type bars movably mounted thereon, means including resilient members for positively moving said type bars, a I platen mounted on said frame and opera- 115 tively associated with said means, a bank of movable type keys for limiting the, movement of said bars in one direction, and resilient means for maintainingsaid type keys in any position to which they are moved.

- 2. A type-printing machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of movable type carriers, a plurality of depressible type keys for limiting the movement of said carriers in one direction, and resilient 125 means for retaining said keys in any position to which they may be moved.

3. A machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a type carriage movably mounted in said frame, a plurality of type 330 bars positioned in said carriage, resilient means secured to said carriage and normally in engagement with said type bars, and means for limiting the movement of said type bars in one direction.

4. A machine of the class described, comprising a movable type carriage, a plurality of movable type bars, means yieldingly connecting said bars to said carriage, a plurality of movable keys for limiting the movement of said bars in one direction, and resilient means for maintaining yieldingly each of said keys in any position to which they are moved.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, a movable carriage thereon, type bars mounted on said carriage, means-for yieldingly connecting said bars to said carriage, a plurality of keys for limiting the movement of said bars in one direction, and means for reciprocating said type bars.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a platen movably mounted thereon, means for rotating said platen, an operating member, and means interposed between said member and platen for moving the latter in a composite curvilinear and rectilinear path independently of said rotating means.

' 7 A machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a platen supported thereby, a movable carriage mounted on said frame, type bars in said carriage, keys for limiting the movement of said bars, means for moving said platen in a curvilinear and rectilinear path and for moving said carriage rectilinearly, and means energized by said first named means for returning said carriage and platen to normal position.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a movable carriage thereon, type bars in said carriage, means for yieldingly securing said bars to said carriage, a platen on said frame, keys for limiting the movement of said bars in one direction, inking means, means for actuating said platen, carriage and inking means, and means for returning the parts to normal position.

9. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of depressible keys, resilient means engaging the sides of said keys for maintaining the latter in any adjusted position, and means for difierentially raising one or more of said keys from depressed position.

10. Amachin'e of the class described, comprising a plurality of depressible keys arranged in rows, leaf-springs engaging the sides of said keys for maintaining the latter in any adjusted position, and means for diil'erentially and simultaneously raising said keys from depressed position.

11.. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of depressible keys arranged in rows, a leaf-spring engaging one side of each of said keys for maintaining the latter in any adjusted position, means for selectively raising a depressed key or keys in any row to normal position, means for raising a depressed key or keys in any row to an intermediate position, means for simultaneously raising depressed keys in a plurality of rows to normal position, means for simultaneously raising depressed keys in a plurality of rows to an intermediate position, and means for automatically restoring depressed keys in one or more rows to normal position.

12. A type printing machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of moyable type carriers, a plurality of movably mounted keys for limiting the movements of said carriers in one direction, and resilient means engaging the sides of said keys for yieldingly maintaining said keys in any position to which they may be moved, said keys and resilient means being noiseless in operation.

13. A type printing machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of movable type carriers, a plurality of noiseless depressible keys for limiting the movement of said carriers in one direction, and resilient means for retaining said keys in depressed position.

14. A type printing machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of movable type carriers, a plurality of noiseless depressible keys for limiting the movement of said carriers in one direction, and silent means comprising a plurality of resilient members for yieldingly maintaining said keys in depressed position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

FRED A. DOLPH. 

